Newport hosts a Bavarian-style feast

THANKS to the marriage of Bavaria’s King Ludwig I to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810, Oktoberfest is now celebrated around the world. In as much as the festival, now synonymous to beer and other Bavarian gaieties, has become an annual tradition in Germany, Newport World Resorts (NWR) is stepping up to make their version an annual tradition too.

NWR only began celebrating Oktoberfest last year, but it was so successful that they decided to bring it back this year, from Oct. 24 to 26 at the Hilton Manila. David Jorden, Chief Marketing Officer of Newport World Resorts estimated that the hotel ballroom’s capacity for last year’s Oktoberfest was 750 people. “I think we were just a bit below that, we were maybe 600 a night,” he said during a press conference announcing the festival on Sept. 5.

“We’re expecting a complete sell-out this year. Eight-hundred people a night, easily,” he told BusinessWorld. “We’ve already sold out one day. We’re selling fast on the other two days already.”

Last year’s Oktoberfest ran for one weekend; this year’s has an extra day.

WHAT TO EXPECT
For this edition, beer lovers will enjoy a selection of classic Bavarian draft beers from the Weihenstephan Brewery, the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery.

Serving up an even grander spread of Bavarian favorites, attendees will be treated to hefty servings of freshly baked pretzels and German rye bread with flavorful dips, Munich-style sausage salad, platters of pork bratwurst and frankfurter paired with tangy sauerkraut, crispy pork knuckle, chicken schnitzel, and cheese-topped spaetzle.

To top off this Bavarian-style feast, guests can indulge in baked apple tart and Kaiserschmarrn for dessert.

Mr. Jorden said that their chef is German, which means, “He’s very particular about his pretzels, his German breads, and the wursts, and everything else. He’s been working on this since literally this time last year.”

The celebration of the German holiday is also a way for the resort to have a celebration before Halloween, and of course, Christmas. “The ‘-ber’ months started last weekend, and everybody loves beer and sausage. It’s really a key part of the ‘-ber’ months,” he said of Oktoberfest.

“We’re Newport World Resorts. We love celebrating the diversity of the world,” he said, adding that this month, they’re also holding a chic beer festival at Okura Manila, showcasing Japanese beers.

OPENINGS
The resort isn’t just celebrating holidays in the last quarter of the year — there are openings to look forward to too.

On the last day of August, they marked the opening of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s first outlet in the Philippines, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill. “Gordon Ramsay has kicked off as we expected,” Mr. Jorden said. “They’re about sold out for September already.

“The team has held back reservations so that we can still accept walk-ins every night,” he added.

“Next year, we’re looking forward to opening The Mansions at Newport,” he said, a six-star hotel with 130 to 140 rooms. “Probably in the next 18 months, we’ll be starting work on the retail outlet.”

“There’s just an amazing amount of work to look forward to,” he said.

Newport World Resorts’ Oktoberfest will run from Oct. 24 to 26, opening at 6 p.m. Get first dibs on Oktoberfest tickets with an early bird promo of P4,900 net per person until Sept. 30. The regular priced ticket goes for P5,400 net per person starting Oct. 1. All Oktoberfest ticket holders can avail themselves of an overnight stay at Hilton Manila with breakfast for two at a special rate of P7,500 net per room, valid during the festival. Guests can also retreat in Holiday Inn Express Newport City’s overnight stay package, inclusive of breakfast for two, at P4,000 net. For more information, visit www.newportworldresorts.com/oktoberfest-2024. — Joseph L. Garcia